The final RAW of 2016 aired live from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
– Stephanie McMahon comes out to open the show. She steps in the ring and lets everyone know that Mick Foley has the night off, and the CM Punk chants start almost immediately from his hometown crowd. Stephanie plays off the chants, then quickly gets interrupted by Seth Rollins. Rollins calls out Triple H, but says he know The Game won’t show up because he’s the biggest coward of all time. Rollins says the real reason he came out is because he wants a match with Braun Strowman. Before Stephanie can answer, Roman Reigns interrupts and says he wants a shot at Strowman too. Rollins tells Reigns to get to the back of the line, because he asked for Strowman first. Reigns and Rollins agree to team up and beat down Strowman together. Stephanie teases that Dean Ambrose might be around to reunite The Shield, but says that’s not going to happen. Stephanie sets up Rollins vs. Strowman for later tonight, and informs Roman Reigns that he’ll defend his U.S. Title tonight against an opponent of her choosing.
– Sheamus and Cesaro (c) def. The New Day: The Tag Titles are on this line in this one. Kofi and Xavier are in on behalf of The New Day, and they take control of the match early on by using frequent tags to take turns stomping on Cesaro. Sheamus tags in and hits a backbreaker on Xavier, then Cesaro drops a knee across Xavier’s face while he’s still on Sheamus’ knee. After some back-and-forth action, Xavier hits a tornado DDT on Cesaro at ringside, then Kofi hits the Trouble In Paradise on Sheamus back in the ring for a two count. Cesaro and Xavier are now the legal men, and Xavier hits a big elbow drop from the top rope for a two count. Cesaro swings Xavier then throws Kofi to the outside onto Big E, and Xavier rolls up Cesaro from behind for two. Sheamus tags in without Xavier seeing, then drops Xavier with a big boot for the win.
– We see a graphic on the screen advertising that Goldberg will be returning to RAW next week for the first episode of 2017.
– Braun Strowmman is walking around backstage until he runs into Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. Owens and Jericho praise Strowman for beating down Reigns and Rollins last night. Owens informs Strowman that after he defends the Universal Title at The Royal Rumble, Strowman will be next in line for a title shot. He warns Strowman that first he needs to focus on Reigns and Rollins, who were threatening him earlier tonight. Jericho and Owens tell Strowman about things Rollins and Reigns said, but Strowman doesn’t react how they expected. Strowman gets in Jericho’s face, then walks off.
– Goldust and R-Truth are backstage talking about Christmas movies. Bayley interrupts them to give Goldust a Christmas gift. She presents him with a teddy bear dressed up like Dusty Rhodes, who Bayley credits for training her. Goldust thanks her as the crowd chants for Dusty. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson approach Goldust and Truth next, and call them nerds. Anderson destroys the teddy bear, then runs off screen with Gallows.
– Nia Jax def. Scarlet: Scarlet gives the usual pre-match interview for a jobber. Nia gets the win with a Samoan Drop after a very short squash match. Nia hits her with a leg drop after the match for good measure.
– Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho approach Stephanie McMahon to complain about Roman Reigns getting another shot at Kevin Owens. Jericho complains about having to be held in a shark cage above the ring, “like a sexy piñata 100 feet in the air.” Stephanie informs them that Owens will take on Reigns tonight too, but this time for a shot at Reigns’ U.S. Title. Jericho seems disappointed that he wasn’t chosen to face Reigns.
– Bayley comes out to the ring to talk about beating Charlotte last week for the third time in a row. Charlotte comes out to interrupt and they argue about the finish of last week’s match, where the slow-motion replay appears to show Charlotte’s shoulder raising from the mat before the three count. Charlotte says because of the referee’s error, Bayley’s victory has been expunged from the record books. Charlotte says Bayley can have a rematch tonight, but the referee will be Dana Brooke.
– Charlotte vs. Bayley: Dana Brooke’s bias towards Charlotte is apparent early on as Charlotte takes control of the match. Bayley pulls back Bayley when she starts getting in offense, leading to Bayley hitting a belly to belly suplex on Dana. Charlotte takes the opportunity to beat down Bayley from behind, then a real referee comes out. Charlotte starts working on Bayley in the corner, but Bayley hulks up and slams Charlotte’s head into the turnbuckle ten times in a row. Bayley follows up with a cross body off the top for a two count. Bayley drops Charlotte with a suplex, but Dana pulls the new referee out of the ring. Bayley grabs Dana, but Charlotte rolls her up from behind with her feet on the ropes for leverage and Dana counts the quick three count.
– Backstage, Stephanie stops Strowman from beating up some random person. Strowman says he wants Sami Zayn in addition to Seth Rollins. Steph says she can’t find Zayn tonight, but gives Strowman a Last Man Standing Match against Zayn tomorrow night. Stephanie says Strowman should take out his aggression towards Zayn tonight on Seth Rollins.
– Neville def. TJ Perkins: Austin Aries is on commentary for this one. Perkins control the match early on with a knee to the face and suicide dive to the outside. Back in the ring, Perkins hits a cross body off the top for a two count. Perkins hangs up Neville in a Tree Of Woe in the corner, but Neville escapes and sends Perkins to he outside with a kick to the head. Back in the ring, Neville hits several elbows to the head of Perkins. Perkins comes back with a missile dropkick and a gutbuster for a two count. Perkins hits the detonation kick on Neville then goes for a knee bar, but Neville rolls out and pins Perkins with a fist full of tights. The referee didn’t see Neville grab the tights, and he scores the win. After the match, Neville does an interview where says it’s funny how the only time anyone wants to talk to him is when he leaves a trail of bodies behind him. He cuts a promo on the American fans not appreciating him, but they’ll have no choice but to appreciate him after he beats Rich Swann for the Cruiserweight Title on 205 Live.
– Enzo and Cass are out next, and Enzo is in a wheelchair after getting beat-down by Rusev and Jinder Mahal. Enzo and Cass cut a promo on the two heels, and Cass gets in the ring to officially call out Rusev. Rusev comes out, but he’s with Jinder again. They attempt to double-team Cass, but Enzo hops out of the wheelchair and drops Jinder at ringside. Cass lays out Rusev in the ring, then they sit Jinder down in the wheelchair and hit the Bada-Boom on him at ringside.
– The Shining Stars vs. Darren Young & Bo Dallas – No Contest: Braun Strowman interrupts early on and lays out everyone. Epico hits Strowman from behind with a steel chair, but Strowman no-sells it and drops Epico with a clothesline. At ringside, Strowman throws Darren Young into Bob Backlund. Strowman throws the ring steps into the other three participants in the match, and he gets a “Thank you Strowman” chant from the crowd.
– Braun Strowman def. Seth Rollins via DQ: It’s all Strowman in the opening minutes of the match, until he misses a spear in the corner and crashes into the ring post. Rollins comes back with two flying knees to the face, but on the third on Strowman catches him and slams him into the turnbuckle. Rollins comes back with a Blockbuster off the middle rope then goes for a Pedigree, but Strowman back body drops him over the top rope out to ringside. Strowman follows Rollins outside and drops him with a clothesline, then throws him back in the ring. Before Strowman can get back in the ring, Sami Zayn’s music hits and Zayn attacks Strowman from behind. Zayn throws Strowman into the ring post a couple times, but then Strowman hulks up and chases Zayn all the way to the back. Back in the ring, Chris Jericho sneaks in then hits the Codebreaker on Rollins. Referees pull Jericho off of Rollins, but Jericho comes right back with a second Codebreaker on Rollins.
– Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson def. The Golden Truth: Goldust starts off with a flurry of offense on Anderson. Gallows and Truth tag in and Gallows drops him with a kick to the head. Goldust tags back in and lays out both Gallows and Anderson, then beats down Anderson around ringside. Goldust hits his patented spinning powerslam and a bulldog. After a distraction by Gallows, Anderson rolls up Goldust from behind in a small package for the win.
– Rich Swann def. Ariya Daivari: Daivari gets some offense in early on, but misses a frogsplash off the top rope. Swann comes back with a kick to the head for the win after a very short match. Swann cuts a promo on Neville after the match, and Neville comes out and beats down Swann. Neville throws Swann into the ring and hits the Red Arrow before heading backstage.
– Backstage, Daivari confronts Jack Gallagher, who slaps Daivari across the face with a glove.
– Roman Reigns def. Kevin Owens: Reign’s U.S. Title is on the line in this one. Owens avoids contact with Reigns early on, then hits a boot to the midsection and locks in a side headlock. Reigns comes back with a shoulder block, and Owens rolls outside. Back in the ring, Owens and Reigns exchange strikes until Jericho comes out and distracts Reigns. Following Jericho’s distraction, Owens hits a DDT and a senton splash for a two count on Reigns. Reigns comes back and hits a series of clotheslines in the corner, but after the third one Owens stops him with a superkick then a cannonball in the corner. Owens takes things to ringside where he continues the beat down on Reigns until Reigns comes back with the Drive By. Reigns throws Owens back in the ring then hits a series of 10 clotheslines in the corner. Reigns follows up with a Samoan Drop for a two count. Owens attempts a superkick, but Reigns catches his foot and powerbombs him for a two count. Reigns follows up with a superman punch for another two count. Jericho gets on the apron to distract Reigns, then Reigns turns around into a Codebreaker by Owens for a two count. Rollins comes out and hits the Pedigree on Jericho at ringside, then Owens drops Rollins with a superkick. Owens rolls back in the ring only to be speared by Reigns. Reigns pins and gets the three count to retain his U.S. title. After the match, Rollins and Reigns shake hands, then Rollins hits the Pedigree on Owens. Reigns goes out to ringside and hits the spear on Jericho before RAW goes off the air.